The Celtic League General Secretary, Rhisiart Tal-e-bot, has written to the United Kingdom Government asking why no compliance report under the provisions of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has been submitted to the Council of Europe.
In his correspondence Mr. Tal-e-bot reminds the UK government of previous assurances it gave (see below):
"Ian Naysmith Race Equality Unit Department for Communities and Local Government 1st Floor, Seacole Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF
Dear Ian Naysmith
UK Framework Convention Compliance Report
The Celtic league are concerned by the unreasonable length of time it is taking the Government to submit its expected UK Framework Convention Compliance Report to the Council of Europe. The submission of the report is now two and a half years overdue.
The Cornish community has a vested in the contents of this report, because it is hoped that the Westminster Government will include the Cornish under the provisions of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.
We are aware that Cornish NGO's and representative individuals met with officials from the Home Office's Race Equality Unit (REU) in 2004 to discuss this further and were assured that the issue would be raised with the then minister Fiona MacTaggert, MP immediately. However, we have been informed that the Cornish representatives involved received no communication from the Unit for over two years and have only this summer received some unsatisfactory responses.
The Celtic League feels that the delay of this report and the treatmentof the Cornish community in general, in relation to their appeals to be recognised as a distinct ethical group, by the REU, is totally unacceptable. We therefore would like strong assurances of when the Compliance Report will be submitted to the Council of Europe and if the Cornish as an ethnic group will be included under its recommendations.
We look forward to receiving a response within twenty days of the date at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely
Rhisiart Tal-e-bot"
Early Celtic News stories related to this item can be found on the newsgroup:
No. 1338 CORNISH DEMAND JUDICIAL REVIEW Jan 3, 2004 No. 1249 CORNISH BRANCH REVIEWS GOVERNMENT POSITION Oct 10, 2003 No. 1248 NEW STRATEGY FOR THE CORNISH LANGUAGE Oct 10, 2003
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
28/10/06
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